Smart Notes (Anki Extension)

"An Anki extension that deeply integrates AI, text-to-speech, and image generation to let users bulk-generate example sentences, audio, and explanations for any study topic."
0
Maker: piazz
~$500/mo

Marketing Channels

Primary

Anki plugin directory

Almost all customers come directly from the central Anki plugin directory; creator used SEO-friendly terms and buzzwords (AI, ChatGPT) in the title for discoverability

Planned

Language learning subreddits

Creator plans to launch on various language learning subreddits as a next step

Planned

Anki YouTube influencers

Creator identified a cottage industry of Anki influencers on YouTube as a future channel

Planned

Review incentivization

Creator plans to better incentivize leaving reviews to rank higher in the add-on list

Growth Levers

  • Incentivize user reviews in the Anki plugin directory to improve ranking and social proof
  • Launch targeted posts in language learning subreddits (r/languagelearning, r/Anki, r/LearnJapanese, etc.)
  • Partner with Anki-focused YouTube influencers for reviews and tutorials
  • Optimize plugin listing with SEO-friendly keywords as new AI features are added
  • Expand use cases beyond language learning (e.g., medical students, law students) to broaden the audience
  • Plan a Show HN launch once key features and QoL improvements are complete

First Customer Strategy

The creator listed the extension in the central Anki plugin directory with SEO-optimized titles containing buzzwords like 'AI' and 'ChatGPT', so users searching for AI-powered add-ons would find it via ctrl+f. This marketplace-first approach drove almost all early paying customers.

Pricing Insight

The extension has a paid tier generating ~$500/mo. Being embedded in the Anki ecosystem means users are already committed to the workflow, making them more willing to pay for quality enhancements.

New Market Opportunities

  • Language learning communities Creator explicitly plans to target language learning subreddits and Anki YouTube influencers
  • Non-language Anki users Creator mentions hearing from users around the world with feature requests for their specific use cases, suggesting demand beyond language learning

Key Takeaways

  • • Marketplace SEO (optimizing titles with buzzwords like AI and ChatGPT) is a highly effective distribution strategy for plugin-based products
  • • Building on top of an established platform (Anki) with a passionate user base provides built-in distribution
  • • User reviews and ratings are critical for ranking in plugin directories — incentivizing them should be a priority
  • • Holding off on a big launch (Show HN) until the product is polished shows disciplined product development
  • • Global user feedback for niche tools indicates there is a long tail of use cases that can drive expansion

Sentiment Analysis

1 Pos

Notable Quotes

"It looks like a great idea. Kudos on the work so far! — furk4n"

Comments

0 total

No comments yet.